Worst strike yet predicted on railways next week
RAIL passengers are being warned to expect cancellations and delays as part of a “significant” disruption to services caused by planned strikes next week.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) says the upcoming industrial action by two unions - the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) will have an even greater impact than previous strikes.
The train operator, which runs services from Loughborugh, Leicester and Market Harborough stations to London St Pancras, said it has been working on contingency plans to minimise disruption to travellers – but still urged passengers only to travel if absolutely necessary.
Members of the two transport workers unions are in a long-running dispute with rail bosses over pay and conditions.
As well as EMR, the strikes will also affect Network Rail, which runs and maintains Britain’s rail network, and 13 other train companies.
The stikes are planned for Thursday, August 18 and Saturday, August 20. The Unite union has also announced that its members employed by Network Rail, including electric control room operatives, will join the other rail unions in taking action.
EMR is advising customers to “only travel if absolutely necessary” on these days. Train services which do survive will only operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm on the strike days.
Intercity services will be halved to just one train per hour on both the Nottingham to London and Sheffield and London routes, which both stop at Leicester. The Leicester to Nottingham stopping service will also only run one service an hour. All other routes will be closed.
Knock-on effects from Thursday’s strike are expected to also impact services on Friday, August 19, while disruption to services to and from London on Sunday, August 21 will be exacerbated by engineering works on the Midland Mainline.
An EMR spokesman said the company “has continued to work closely with colleagues across the railway to ensure they can deliver as robust and reliable service as possible for their customers.
“As in previous strikes, a significant pool of contingency staff have been trained – to the same safety critical standards as their permanent colleagues – to ensure a service can continue to operate.
“However, due to there being two unions involved, the levels of service on these days will impacted to a greater level than previously strikes.”
Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA, said its members had no option but to take action.
“Our members are simply asking for basic fair treatment – not to be sacked from their jobs, a fair pay rise in the face of a cost of living crisis and no race to the bottom on terms and conditions.
“No-one takes strike action lightly, but we have been left with little choice. Sadly, it now looks as though we are about to see yet more disruption on our railways.”